Daniel runs his own consultancy (Responsible Sport, founded 2021) and works with sport organisations on sustainability strategy, implementation, reporting, and education.  He says, “I think that year (Mountbatten) was a bit of a coming of age for me. Even though we were very well looked after by the Mountbatten team, I felt a real sense of independence and empowerment – holding down a job in a big, foreign city, finding my feet, fitting in, and being close to where everything seemed to be happening. It made me realise I could make things work.”

Current Role:

Self-employed sport and sustainability consultant and educator (Founder, Responsible Sport).

What and where did you study before your Mountbatten internship?

Exercise and Health, and Business Administration and Management, at Oxford Brookes University.

What made you apply for the Mountbatten program?

In our last year at uni we used to talk about the “graduate graveyard”, and it genuinely scared me – the idea that I might end up in some dark call centre somewhere. So, when I saw an advert for the program at uni, I jumped at the opportunity.

Describe your sponsor company and your role within it:

I was at Asprey, which became Asprey and Garrard while I was there, and (as far as I know) no longer exists in that form today. It was on the ground floor of Trump Tower – on the other side of Tiffany’s. I was one of five interns there, and from what I understood we were part of a long line of Mountbatten interns. My role was on the sales floor, mainly selling Asprey’s leather goods – handbags and small pieces like wallets and card holders – as well as stationery and desk items like notebooks and jotter pads, often in beautiful leathers and exotic skins (including ostrich).

What was the highlight/most memorable moment of your working experience during this year?

We had a few famous people come into the store while I was there: Naomi Campbell, Michael Flatley (the Riverdance guy), and Keira Knightley. But the highlight was probably the day I was asked to deliver a selection of jewellery to Jada Pinkett Smith, who was getting ready for an interview or something a few blocks away. I brought over a few options, she chose what she wanted, and I went back to the store… only to find it closed. They’d forgotten they’d sent me out. And because I had a date in half an hour, I chose the only option I could see at the time: go on the date with about $250k of jewellery in my bag. What better icebreaker could I have asked for?

What was the social highlight/most memorable moment during this year?

Goodness me, that’d be telling. There were so many memorable social moments that year. One that comes to mind is when one of our colleagues from Asprey took us sailing in Long Island on her parents’ boat, and we ended the day watching tennis at the New York Open. I loved my fellow interns at Asprey, so spending time with them was always fun.

Please share a little wisdom/philosophy that you acquired during your internship:

There was very little time for wisdom or philosophy that year!

Upon reflection, what do you consider has been the biggest impact of your Mountbatten year?

I think that year was a bit of a coming of age for me. Even though we were very well looked after by the Mountbatten team, I felt a real sense of independence and empowerment –  holding down a job in a big, foreign city, finding my feet, fitting in, and being close to where everything seemed to be happening. It made me realise I could make things work.

What happened after completing the year — what did you do next?

After Mountbatten, I went on to build a career spanning communications/engagement and sustainability-focused work, including a long stint at the consulting firm Acting Responsibly (13 years).

Where are you now in your working life and what do you do?

I run my own consultancy (Responsible Sport, founded 2021) and work with sport organisations on sustainability strategy, implementation, reporting, and education. Recent work includes projects with bodies such as World Taekwondo, the International Biathlon Union, and the Football Association of Ireland, alongside developing online education content and courses.

Do you have any future plans that you would like to realise & what are they (career & social)?

Career-wise, I’d like to keep building my consultancy work in sport sustainability – particularly the practical side of strategy, reporting, and implementation – and to develop the education work alongside it through more tailored training programmes for organisations. I’d also like to secure a steady in-person teaching or lecturing role alongside the consulting. Socially, I’m trying to keep things simple: more time with my family, more time outdoors, and continuing to build a sense of home in Zurich.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I married a girl from the US – Kansas, to be precise – and we ended up settling in Zurich with three amazing kids.

Is there any other information that you would like to be included?

Just that I’m really grateful for the work that goes into making this program happen. It must take a huge amount of effort, but I hope it’s also genuinely satisfying; the impact it has on young people’s lives. I really enjoyed my time in New York – it was one of the best years of my life – and I’m sure I didn’t say it enough at the time: thank you to everyone involved.